Fear

Sam was sick before Thanksgiving. Eventually I took him to the doctor because he was complaining his ears hurt and was running a fever. The doctor didn't think his ears looked too bad and the strep test was negative. The doctor suggested possible pneumonia, though that could not be determined without x-rays. Antibiotics were prescribed. Sam was feeling himself in just a day or 2.

Fast forward to last Wednesday. That night was his last dose of antibiotics. Thursday morning Sam sounded funny. Friday I could tell he definitely had a cold. Sunday morning, with very little thought, we all went to church. Because of Sunday school and other after-church activities, it was about 6 hours before I saw him again. I was shocked by how sick he had gotten. He was coughing so much and by evening he was complaining about his ear again. Sunday night he woke up coughing (and coughing and coughing). It wasn't the croup-y cough we typically hear, but it was tight and uncomfortable sounding. He and I moved to the living room so he could sleep sitting up in the recliner.

As I laid on the couch listening to him cough in the dark, my thoughts became more worried and panicked. What if it was really pneumonia? What if it was some bacteria resistant to antibiotics? What if he couldn't breathe? When he was finally sleeping again, his breathing was raspy and I wondered if it was "labored breathing". Did he need to go to the emergency room right then? Eventually I too fell asleep.

In the morning Sam's ear no longer hurt. His coughing sounded looser. I laughed to myself that he has always been a noisy sleeper and snores often. All those worries disappeared with morning light. What is it about the night time which makes all those worries seem insurmountable? It reminded me of a verse John shared with me recently.

do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.
1 Peter 3:6 (ESV)

Easier said than done, I say. God will help me... and you.